Trial set for local storyteller accused of sex abuse

A man charged with eight felony counts of the sexual abuse of a minor is scheduled to go on trial on Nov. 13.

Jon Robert Beideman, who was arrested in October 2017, has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is tentatively scheduled for trial in two weeks. Whether or not that trial, estimated to take a month, will begin on the scheduled date depends on the court calendar.

Beideman

Beideman appeared in court on Friday for a trial confirmation hearing and he was represented by David Celli and Deputy District Attorney Stacey Eads who will prosecute the case.

In the complaint filed by the DA, it’s alleged Beideman molested the victim, identified as Jane Doe, over the course of four years from 2004 to 2008.

Beideman had a personal relationship with the victim at the time the offenses are alleged to have occurred.

He is a former court clerk, a factor that has led many people within the court system, including attorneys and judges, to recuse themselves from the prosecution. He is also known locally as Carpathian, a spooky storyteller who entertained Humboldt County children for many years.

Beideman remains in custody with bail set at $350,000.

Shooting suspect seeks to dismiss charges in case

Casey Floyd Felt, who is accused of four felonies including shooting into an inhabited residence, is seeking to dismiss several charges in the case.

Felt

Felt’s defense counsel, private attorney Michael Acosta, filed a motion requesting the first three charges be dropped, a motion opposed by the prosecutor, Deputy District Attorney Josh Rosenfeld.

“The first thing I will say is that defense counsel had a lot of time to file the 995 (motion),” Rosenfeld said in front of Judge Christopher Wilson. “It’s a delay tactic, I just received the motion (Thursday) and in my opinion, there’s not much there.”

Felt is charged with shooting into an inhabited residence and hitting a woman after he broke into her trailer in Myers Flat in January 2017. He’s also been charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and felony burglary with the special allegation of burglarizing an occupied residence.

Now, before the trial begins, presiding Judge John Feeney will have to make a ruling on the motion before it proceeds.

Felt turned down a plea deal offered by the District Attorney in August and then had a counter-offer rejected as well.

If convicted on all charges, the maximum sentence Felt could get ranges from 37 years and four months to life in prison. His new trial date is set for Nov. 6, but whether or not that trial goes ahead depends on how the judge rules on a motion to dismiss charges.

Felt remains in custody with bail set at $1 million.

Sex abuse trial delayed until 2019

Chad Alan Smith, a man charged with 12 felonies and 24 special allegations related to the suspected ongoing sexual abuse of a minor younger than 10, was scheduled to go on trial but a delay was granted at a hearing Thursday.

Smith

Smith appeared in court wearing handcuffs and jail-issued clothing and his attorney, Andrea Sullivan of Lake County, participated by phone. Sullivan filed the motion to continue because Sullivan is working with experts, awaiting information from them related to the defense.

“Obviously, defense counsel needs to be prepared,” said Judge Christopher Wilson. “I think good cause has been shown for the continuance and I find good cause to continue.”

Deputy District Attorney Stacey Eads opposed the continuance and argued that the prosecution is prepared to move forward and “it’s the desire of the people and the victims in this case to have a resolution.”

Smith’s trial has now been pushed into the new year and is scheduled to begin Jan. 7. The trial is expected to take a month and Smith remains in custody with bail set at $2.65 million.